FIFTY YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (1st - 7th July 1969)
This week's 20 stories include a possible solution to the dilemma of the Reginald Road gipsies, the building of Parr Baths is "stymied", an 81-year-old gives his verdict on how St Helens has changed, why elderly couples won't move to Four Acre, the four-footed lawn mower of Mill Lane and teachers at the axed St Mary's School react with fury.
We begin on July 1st at a Windle Parish Council meeting where it was revealed that vandals had damaged bus shelters in Rainford Road just weeks after they'd been repaired and redecorated. However Councillor Greener said the district was relatively vandal-free: "We are particularly lucky in Windle, compared with other areas. Let's be fair to the local children – they are very well behaved."
There was bad news for Saints supporters on the 1st with confirmation that their captain Tommy Bishop had signed for Cronulla in Sydney for a transfer fee of just over £5,000 (around £90,000 in today’s money).
On the 2nd St Helens had a visit from Stanley Swift who had a most unusual hobby. The man in his mid-50s travelled the country collecting samples of old tramlines. Digging in Manweb's yard off Carlton Street, Stanley uncovered a piece of track that he dated to around 1886 when steam trams were in use in St Helens.
And Stanley was very happy with his find: "It's one of the finest examples I've seen. It's so good, I'd say it's hardly been used." The sixteen inches of rail that had been removed would be preserved at the Tramway Museum Society's building in Derbyshire.
A four-day public exhibition on safety began on the 2nd at Carr Mill Junior School. It had been organised by the headmaster Douglas Appleton, with much work undertaken by the 200 pupils and staff. The exhibits ranged from working models to papier-mâché sets that had been designed and made by the children.
The mobile Lancashire County Police safety van was a popular attraction and there were works stands demonstrating aspects of safety in offices and factories, with St Helens Fire Service and St John Ambulance Corps manning other stands.
On the same day the Besses o'th' Barn Brass Band was in concert at the Theatre Royal in Corporation Street. In 2018 the band from Whitefield, near Bury, celebrated their 200th anniversary.
Two months ago the so-called gipsies of Reginald Road had been served a notice to vacate the site that they were illegally occupying. However the travellers had refused to go quietly and fearing violence it was decided to leave them where they were – at least for the time being.
At the monthly Town Council meeting on the 2nd, about thirty angry residents from Reginald Road occupied a corner of the chamber to listen to a debate on the issue. They were reported as having seethed with indignation when Alderman Joe Hughes said the Corporation did not own the land where the gipsies had parked their caravans and so were powerless to intervene. The residents of Reginald Road had complained that the travellers had made threats against them and some had stolen milk, bicycles, coal and children's toys and were constantly calling at their homes for water.
However Alderman Hughes said the council was looking at several locations as possible permanent sites for the gipsies, although he cautioned that it would not be a straightforward solution: "It is physically impossible and would be financially crippling to find a site for this vast colony. We must try to alleviate the position so that pressure can be brought to bear on the owner of the land."
Lennons Supermarkets released their annual results this week which showed a 25% rise in profits to £325,332. Their expansion plans were continuing with two further supermarkets being fitted out and a new meat market had opened at Sale.
The first Thursday in July was the 'Traders Holiday', the day when many shops in St Helens and district closed and staff and some customers went on excursions. This year it fell on the 3rd and even some sub-post offices shut as people made for the coast. Meanwhile those still in town could visit the Theatre Royal to see the West End production of Bill Naughton's comedy of Lancashire family life called 'Spring and Port Wine'.
"Baths Plan Stymied" was the lead story in the Reporter on the 4th. The paper revealed that the council had plumped for a 9-hole golf course in Sherdley Park rather than the long-promised pool in Parr. People were wondering why the decision had not been put to a public vote but Councillor Arthur Luther said a sub-committee had decided that the baths would cost too much.
The golf course could be built for £63,000 but new swimming baths – that had been promised for nearly 40 years – would cost £500,000. Cllr. Luther had been one of the leading supporters of the Parr scheme and as Chairman of the Works Committee was clearly embarrassed by the decision. The councillor argued that the baths had to be built soon as the population of the town was enlarging with new estates being built. As a result the Boundary Road pool was unable to cope with the demand and soon got full.
Seven teachers at St Mary's Secondary School sent an angry letter to the Reporter in the wake of the announcement that the school was to close. They were particularly irked by the comments of an Education Department spokesman who said that not enough teachers were interested in a Church of England education to make the school a viable proposition. They wrote:
"During the last 20 years the school has never been understaffed, except for a short period during re-construction, when, despite the appalling working conditions a dedicated group of part-time teachers ensured that the pupils' education was not adversely affected. We may have had to make-do with cast-off equipment from other schools; we may have had to pay 30 per cent from the School Fund towards a record player.
"We may have had to build and equip our own stage and showers at our own expense. We may have been without coke to heat the rooms or to provide hot water in the cloakrooms. But never have we, at any time, diluted the quality of the children's education, neglected their welfare, or regarded them as being “viable propositions”."
The council's Housing Manager was quoted in the paper saying that some of the bungalows on the Four Acre Lane council estate that were intended for elderly couples were being rented out to single people. Mr H. Kay explained that many pensioners did not want to move so far out of town and – in the days before bus passes – it cost about 1s 4d for a return ticket into St Helens.
The many changes that had and were still taking place in the town were brought home by Peter Platt's comments in the paper. The 81-year-old and his wife Rita had lived in South Africa for the past 18 years and were shocked by what they found on a return visit to their home town.
The familiar rows of terraced houses had disappeared, all their old friends had left and a ring road and new buildings had sprung up. "It's all this demolition", Mr Platt complained, "All our friends have moved to other areas. We knew a lot of people in the Peter Street district. I hope they will notice us in the Reporter and get in touch."
Also pictured in the paper was Geoff Fletcher from Home Farm in Eccleston who was the captain of Oldham Rugby League Club. Geoff had just got married to Yvonne Williams from Irwin Road in Sutton and was photographed shaking hands with Duggie Greenall, the former Saints star.
"Meet Mrs. Margaret Appleton, of 183, Mill Lane, Sutton, and her four-footed lawn mower, Nanny." That was the introduction to a short piece under another picture in the Reporter. The mower was a goat that happily kept Mrs Appleton's one-acre garden well trimmed and had replaced another goat called 'Sugar' that had been savaged by a dog.
Helena House's Marcus Wig Boutique had a large advert in the paper selling "100% Human Hair Wigs" at sale prices "in time for the holidays". Short fashion wigs that were normally 12 guineas were available for 10 guineas, with waist length "Alice Bands" reduced to 14 guineas. Synthetic ones were much cheaper, of course, with curly wigs from just 3½ guineas. "Let our resident consultant style your wig", said the ad.
There was another accident on the East Lancs on the 4th when two vehicles crashed at the junction with Haydock Lane. One man was taken to St Helens Hospital with head injuries.
The Bishop of Warrington, the Rt. Rev. Laurie Brown, officially opened St Mark's new playing field in Haydock on the 5th. It had cost £2,500 to convert from an overgrown derelict site, which the vicar of St Mark's said had been a "disgrace to the church". After the opening ceremony attended by over 200 people, a number of activities took place on the new field, including a football match, a fancy dress competition, athletics and the church's Boys Brigade company gave a gymnastics display.
It was also St Luke's Church Field Day which featured pony rides, 7-a-side football, novelty cricket, putting, darts, fishing games and coconut shies. The event was held on a field at Christ Church in Eccleston and followed a Procession of Witness, in which hundreds of parents and children participated.
Meanwhile at Carr Mill their third annual carnival included a vintage 1904 fairground organ and a 1913 traction engine, both in working order. Drag enthusiast Ian Garbutt had his car on display and there was also a Morris Dancing Festival, a performance by the Josette School of Dancing and exhibitions by the Royal Navy, Fire Service and Police.
On the 6th Lord and Lady Pilkington opened their grounds at Windle Hall to the public, where 1,600 rose trees were on show. The famous rose expert Harry Wheatcroft was in attendance with proceeds from the two shillings admission fee going to the Retired District Nurses Benevolent Fund.
Lady Mavis Pilkington was herself an award-winning rose grower and last year had won the Best Rose award at the Southport Flower Show. Lord Harry, however, preferred to grow cacti.
Saints announced on the 6th that they had signed Bradford Northern winger Berwyn Jones. They'd used some of the £5,000 that they had received from the sale of Tommy Bishop to Cronulla Sutherland in Sydney to clinch the deal. The St Helens' secretary Basil Lowe spoke enthusiastically about the club's new signing. However after scoring two tries, Berwyn Jones –who was also a schoolteacher – announced his retirement.
On the same day Redgate Boys Silver Band performed in Victoria Park under the baton of conductor Terence Collins. The event was part of the council's weekly series of summer music concerts. And finally for six days from the 7th 'Doctor Zhivago' was screened at the ABC Savoy and at the Capitol the Franco Zeffirelli production of 'Romeo and Juliet' was shown.
Next week's stories will include a protest march against plans to scrap Parr Baths, St Julie's Church is consecrated, what St Helens folk thought of the demise of the ha’penny, the lorry drivers caught short in Pewfall, the Pilkington Gala Girls and the council tenants without a TV that still had to pay for a wired service.
We begin on July 1st at a Windle Parish Council meeting where it was revealed that vandals had damaged bus shelters in Rainford Road just weeks after they'd been repaired and redecorated. However Councillor Greener said the district was relatively vandal-free: "We are particularly lucky in Windle, compared with other areas. Let's be fair to the local children – they are very well behaved."
There was bad news for Saints supporters on the 1st with confirmation that their captain Tommy Bishop had signed for Cronulla in Sydney for a transfer fee of just over £5,000 (around £90,000 in today’s money).
On the 2nd St Helens had a visit from Stanley Swift who had a most unusual hobby. The man in his mid-50s travelled the country collecting samples of old tramlines. Digging in Manweb's yard off Carlton Street, Stanley uncovered a piece of track that he dated to around 1886 when steam trams were in use in St Helens.
And Stanley was very happy with his find: "It's one of the finest examples I've seen. It's so good, I'd say it's hardly been used." The sixteen inches of rail that had been removed would be preserved at the Tramway Museum Society's building in Derbyshire.
The mobile Lancashire County Police safety van was a popular attraction and there were works stands demonstrating aspects of safety in offices and factories, with St Helens Fire Service and St John Ambulance Corps manning other stands.
On the same day the Besses o'th' Barn Brass Band was in concert at the Theatre Royal in Corporation Street. In 2018 the band from Whitefield, near Bury, celebrated their 200th anniversary.
Two months ago the so-called gipsies of Reginald Road had been served a notice to vacate the site that they were illegally occupying. However the travellers had refused to go quietly and fearing violence it was decided to leave them where they were – at least for the time being.
At the monthly Town Council meeting on the 2nd, about thirty angry residents from Reginald Road occupied a corner of the chamber to listen to a debate on the issue. They were reported as having seethed with indignation when Alderman Joe Hughes said the Corporation did not own the land where the gipsies had parked their caravans and so were powerless to intervene. The residents of Reginald Road had complained that the travellers had made threats against them and some had stolen milk, bicycles, coal and children's toys and were constantly calling at their homes for water.
However Alderman Hughes said the council was looking at several locations as possible permanent sites for the gipsies, although he cautioned that it would not be a straightforward solution: "It is physically impossible and would be financially crippling to find a site for this vast colony. We must try to alleviate the position so that pressure can be brought to bear on the owner of the land."
Lennons Supermarkets released their annual results this week which showed a 25% rise in profits to £325,332. Their expansion plans were continuing with two further supermarkets being fitted out and a new meat market had opened at Sale.
The first Thursday in July was the 'Traders Holiday', the day when many shops in St Helens and district closed and staff and some customers went on excursions. This year it fell on the 3rd and even some sub-post offices shut as people made for the coast. Meanwhile those still in town could visit the Theatre Royal to see the West End production of Bill Naughton's comedy of Lancashire family life called 'Spring and Port Wine'.
"Baths Plan Stymied" was the lead story in the Reporter on the 4th. The paper revealed that the council had plumped for a 9-hole golf course in Sherdley Park rather than the long-promised pool in Parr. People were wondering why the decision had not been put to a public vote but Councillor Arthur Luther said a sub-committee had decided that the baths would cost too much.
The golf course could be built for £63,000 but new swimming baths – that had been promised for nearly 40 years – would cost £500,000. Cllr. Luther had been one of the leading supporters of the Parr scheme and as Chairman of the Works Committee was clearly embarrassed by the decision. The councillor argued that the baths had to be built soon as the population of the town was enlarging with new estates being built. As a result the Boundary Road pool was unable to cope with the demand and soon got full.
Seven teachers at St Mary's Secondary School sent an angry letter to the Reporter in the wake of the announcement that the school was to close. They were particularly irked by the comments of an Education Department spokesman who said that not enough teachers were interested in a Church of England education to make the school a viable proposition. They wrote:
"During the last 20 years the school has never been understaffed, except for a short period during re-construction, when, despite the appalling working conditions a dedicated group of part-time teachers ensured that the pupils' education was not adversely affected. We may have had to make-do with cast-off equipment from other schools; we may have had to pay 30 per cent from the School Fund towards a record player.
"We may have had to build and equip our own stage and showers at our own expense. We may have been without coke to heat the rooms or to provide hot water in the cloakrooms. But never have we, at any time, diluted the quality of the children's education, neglected their welfare, or regarded them as being “viable propositions”."
The council's Housing Manager was quoted in the paper saying that some of the bungalows on the Four Acre Lane council estate that were intended for elderly couples were being rented out to single people. Mr H. Kay explained that many pensioners did not want to move so far out of town and – in the days before bus passes – it cost about 1s 4d for a return ticket into St Helens.
The many changes that had and were still taking place in the town were brought home by Peter Platt's comments in the paper. The 81-year-old and his wife Rita had lived in South Africa for the past 18 years and were shocked by what they found on a return visit to their home town.
The familiar rows of terraced houses had disappeared, all their old friends had left and a ring road and new buildings had sprung up. "It's all this demolition", Mr Platt complained, "All our friends have moved to other areas. We knew a lot of people in the Peter Street district. I hope they will notice us in the Reporter and get in touch."
Also pictured in the paper was Geoff Fletcher from Home Farm in Eccleston who was the captain of Oldham Rugby League Club. Geoff had just got married to Yvonne Williams from Irwin Road in Sutton and was photographed shaking hands with Duggie Greenall, the former Saints star.
"Meet Mrs. Margaret Appleton, of 183, Mill Lane, Sutton, and her four-footed lawn mower, Nanny." That was the introduction to a short piece under another picture in the Reporter. The mower was a goat that happily kept Mrs Appleton's one-acre garden well trimmed and had replaced another goat called 'Sugar' that had been savaged by a dog.
Helena House's Marcus Wig Boutique had a large advert in the paper selling "100% Human Hair Wigs" at sale prices "in time for the holidays". Short fashion wigs that were normally 12 guineas were available for 10 guineas, with waist length "Alice Bands" reduced to 14 guineas. Synthetic ones were much cheaper, of course, with curly wigs from just 3½ guineas. "Let our resident consultant style your wig", said the ad.
There was another accident on the East Lancs on the 4th when two vehicles crashed at the junction with Haydock Lane. One man was taken to St Helens Hospital with head injuries.
The Bishop of Warrington, the Rt. Rev. Laurie Brown, officially opened St Mark's new playing field in Haydock on the 5th. It had cost £2,500 to convert from an overgrown derelict site, which the vicar of St Mark's said had been a "disgrace to the church". After the opening ceremony attended by over 200 people, a number of activities took place on the new field, including a football match, a fancy dress competition, athletics and the church's Boys Brigade company gave a gymnastics display.
It was also St Luke's Church Field Day which featured pony rides, 7-a-side football, novelty cricket, putting, darts, fishing games and coconut shies. The event was held on a field at Christ Church in Eccleston and followed a Procession of Witness, in which hundreds of parents and children participated.
Meanwhile at Carr Mill their third annual carnival included a vintage 1904 fairground organ and a 1913 traction engine, both in working order. Drag enthusiast Ian Garbutt had his car on display and there was also a Morris Dancing Festival, a performance by the Josette School of Dancing and exhibitions by the Royal Navy, Fire Service and Police.
On the 6th Lord and Lady Pilkington opened their grounds at Windle Hall to the public, where 1,600 rose trees were on show. The famous rose expert Harry Wheatcroft was in attendance with proceeds from the two shillings admission fee going to the Retired District Nurses Benevolent Fund.
Lady Mavis Pilkington was herself an award-winning rose grower and last year had won the Best Rose award at the Southport Flower Show. Lord Harry, however, preferred to grow cacti.
Saints announced on the 6th that they had signed Bradford Northern winger Berwyn Jones. They'd used some of the £5,000 that they had received from the sale of Tommy Bishop to Cronulla Sutherland in Sydney to clinch the deal. The St Helens' secretary Basil Lowe spoke enthusiastically about the club's new signing. However after scoring two tries, Berwyn Jones –who was also a schoolteacher – announced his retirement.
On the same day Redgate Boys Silver Band performed in Victoria Park under the baton of conductor Terence Collins. The event was part of the council's weekly series of summer music concerts. And finally for six days from the 7th 'Doctor Zhivago' was screened at the ABC Savoy and at the Capitol the Franco Zeffirelli production of 'Romeo and Juliet' was shown.
Next week's stories will include a protest march against plans to scrap Parr Baths, St Julie's Church is consecrated, what St Helens folk thought of the demise of the ha’penny, the lorry drivers caught short in Pewfall, the Pilkington Gala Girls and the council tenants without a TV that still had to pay for a wired service.